Upon learning how boredom plagues troops in the Middle East, incoming Elon freshman Peter Gallagher and a friend started Games for Heroes, an organization that to date has collected more than $100,000 in hand held video games and cash that today keep hundreds of off-duty soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan entertained.
The native of White Plains, N.Y., launched the nonprofit in 2008 with classmate Jack Wilson at The Masters School after the duo worked with local elementary schools in a “Cheer Up the Troops” letter writing campaign.
What they soon discovered was that next to letters, the single most requested items from the men and women in uniform were hand held video game systems like the Gameboy, PSP and Nintendo DS. Gallagher and Wilson, gaming aficionados themselves, sent fliers out to “pretty much everyone we knew,” and before long, gifts for the troops – both used and news – flooded their homes.
“I’ve gotten a lot of letters thanking the charity, saying how much soldiers appreciate it,” Gallagher said. “That’s what keeps us going, these letters. And we’ve gotten letters from the parents of troops as well.”
Corporate sponsors offered their assistance, too, such as Capcom and EA, two of the biggest names in video game entertainment. The level of interest in their outfit led the pair to register with the IRS as a 501(c)(3), making gifts tax deductible.
Two years and thousands of donations later, Games for Heroes continues to grow. The founders have won plenty of accolades, including the “Make It Matter” Award from Reader’s Digest magazine, which profiled the charity in its August 2010 edition. Games for Heroes has also been recognized in broadcasts by various broadcast news affiliates and in regional newspapers.
If nothing else, Gallagher said, he’s gained experience running an enterprise. “It’s become a pretty big organization, and somewhat of a business,” he said. “I’ve learned how to communicate with donors, and I’ve learned that we still have a lot of troops out there regardless of how the wars are going.”
The two students have been quick to tamp down the suggestion that their project is a political statement, though public office may be in the future for Gallagher, who is planning to study political science at the university. “My whole life, my dad has been interested in politics, and it’s rubbed off on me,” he said.
What’s next for the nonprofit? “I’d definitely like to continue this,” Gallagher said. “Everything would still be communicated with me through email, with shipments to my house that my mom could package, or that I could do on my breaks with my buddy.”
For more information on Games for Heroes, visit www.gamesforheroes.com